School intake zone raises 'apartheid' fears

Jewel Topsfield

CHILDREN living in public housing in South Melbourne could be excluded from attending the prestigious Albert Park College within a couple of years, raising fears about education apartheid.

The school this week released its new enrolment zone, which has been reduced to cope with burgeoning demand for places. Southbank residents will be cut out of the zone from 2013, while those living in South Melbourne, West St Kilda and Port Melbourne have been warned they will be the next to be excluded.

Albert Park MP Martin Foley said if South Melbourne was excised, some of the neediest families in the community would be affected, including those living in the Raglan Street, Emerald Hill Court and Park Towers public housing estates.

Mr Foley said Albert Park College had been able to provide disadvantaged students with a great education in its first two years. ''It's that whole notion of the rising tide lifting all boats - these kids have performed particularly well.''

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However, if South Melbourne was cut out of the zone, children living in public housing would miss out. ''Their parents aren't going to be the articulate ones running a case to the principal as to why they should be accepted. You just know they are going to cop it.''

Mr Foley blamed the ''looming crisis'' on the Kennett government's closure of three primary and two secondary schools in the 1990s and the Coalition's failure to plan for the population boom.

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The release of the new school zone comes as Port Phillip Council last night voted to request an urgent meeting with Education Minister Martin Dixon to discuss the need for a new primary school in South Melbourne.

High birth rates, an increasing tendency for families to stay in the inner city rather than move to the suburbs, a preference for state schools and population growth in South Melbourne, Port Melbourne and Fishermans Bend is putting substantial pressure on both primary and secondary schools in the area.

The council said there was a rapidly emerging need for additional state secondary schools beyond Albert Park College and Elwood College as well as a new primary school.

Port Melbourne Primary principal Peter Martin said there was considerable angst among parents about who would be able to get into Albert Park College after 2014.

South Melbourne residents were already zoned out of their nearest primary school, Albert Park, and forced to travel to Port Melbourne Primary. ''It's possible some of these children may face up to 13 years unable to access the primary and secondary school closest to their place of residence,'' Mr Martin said.

Albert Park College principal Steve Cook said demand for entry was not expected to become critical for another two or more years. ''We expect to be able to enrol children from beyond the zone until at least the 2014 school year,'' he said in the school newsletter.

Albert Park College will continue to run its select-entry program for academically gifted students, which accepts children from outside the zone.